Portable electric lamp



Oct. 14, 1941. cv. DAME 2,259,154

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAMP Filed sept. so, 195s Patented Oct. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2,259,154 e PoRTAiain ELECTRIC LAMP :Charles Vance Dame, Lanark, Ill. Application ASeptember 30, 1938, Serial No. 232,485

' 3 Claims." rc1. 24o-59) This invention relates to4 improvements in portable electric lamps, particularly of the type adapted to be 'carried .by a shoulder sling, or the like, to provide illumination for thewearer while doing chores, hunting, fishing or performing other duties or engaging in other pursuits.

One object' of the` invention is 4to provide a lamp of the character mentioned comprising a lamp supporting member'Y adjustable along a shoulder sling and providing means for adjust-A ing the lamp relatively to' said member'to facili' tate projecting 'the light in any desired direction.

Another object of the invention relates to the provision of a'novel sling construction for supporting a battery or dry cell or cells whichsupply current to the lamp which is provided with means for adjusting any slack or surplus conduce' tor byy means of which the lamp is supplied with current from. the battery. 1

Another object relates Vto the provision of a universal adjustable mounting means .for Va lamp or other element.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoulder sling supported lamp embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows 3 3; l

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged broken perspective of a slack adjuster for the conductor by means of which current from a battery may be supplied to the lamp.

In the drawing, the portable illuminating apparatus is shown as comprising a shoulder sling I0 adapted topass over a shoulder of a wearer and at its lower ends engages ears II which are pivotally attached as at I2 to a battery casing or` position and prevents excessive swinging of the battery casing away from the side of the wearer.

Mounted on the forward portion of the sling isV a lamp support indicated generally by the numeral II and comprising a base I8 connected to upper and lower guides I9 and 20, respectively, through which guides the sling Il] passes. Due to the threading of the sling through the slots of the members I9 and 2U, the support I'I is retained inlany adjusted position along'the forward portion of the sling. The members I9 and 20 thus provide not only means for carrying the support I'I but facilitate the adjustment of the same longitudinally of the sling. Y

vThe base member I8 which may be of sheet metal and somewhat flexible, if desired, is provided with a spherical portion I8a, the concave surface of which is disposed on the side remote fromthe sling. Attached to the ends of the base member I8 is a tension member 2I also of flexible sheet metal and provided with a semi-spherical portion 2Ia which is disposed in alignment with the portion I8a. The member `2I may be at# tached to the member I8 by any suitable means such as by the hooks 2 Ib shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

A lamp socket carrying member indicated generally by the numeral 22 is provided and which, in the form shown, is generally of U-shaped construction and is provided with a spherical portion 22a which is disposed between the portions l8a and 2Ia as shown in Fig. 2. The tension member 2I exerts pressure against the portion 22a for retaining the latter in frictional contact with the member IBa. Due to the nested concave portions I8a, 2Ia and 22a, a universal mounting is provided which enables the member 22 to be adjusted in all angular directions for directing the Alight from a lamp carried thereby as may be desired by the user.

The member 22 comprises a. pair of arms 23 between which a lamp socket 24 is disposed and carried. If desired, a reflector 25 may be carried by the socket 24 as shown. A lamp 26 is shown in the socket in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The casing I3 is provided with a battery such as one or more dry cells which are connected by conductors 2'I with the terminals of the lamp socket 24. If desired, one of the conductors 21 may be grounded to the base I8 as shown in Fig. 4 if the socket is of a single terminal type as illustrated. A switch 28 may conveniently be located on Ythe cover |301, of the casing for controlling the flow of current to the lamp. The particular connections of the conductors 2l with the battery and of the connection of the switch in the circuit are not pertinent to the invention and are not shown in detail. By operating the switch 28, the lamp can be lighted as desired. Due to the universal mounting of the member 22, the lamp can be turned in any angular direction for directing the light as desired by the wearer. By means of the member I6, the sling can lbe adjusted as to length -to suit a particular individual and the lamp supporting member I1 can be moved longitudinally of the sling as may be desired. The conductors 21 are of sufficient length to accommodate any desired adjustment of the lamp supporting member I1 toward or away from the battery casing.

For the purpose of confining the conductors 21 in orderly manner along the inner surface of the sling, a conductor guide |5a is provided for cooperation with the guide I5. The guides l5-I 5a are provided with slots lEb through which the sling is threadedand are provided also with slotted ears |50 through which the conductors 21 are looped as illustrated in Fig. 5. By moving the members I--la farther apart, surplus slack in the conductor will be taken up as will be obvious or 'by moving one toward the other, the effective length of the conductor will be increased. Hence, in adjusting'the supporting member l1r longitudinally of the ,sling in one direction or the other, one or both members l-Ia may be adjusted to lengthen or shorten the eiective lengthof the, cable asmay be required.

By means of thepresent improvements, one

doing chores at night or fishing or hunting afterY dark or performing-other duties or engaging in other pursuits is provided with an ellicient source of illumination which is readily adjustable to his What I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

1. A lamp support comprising a base provided with a spherical concavity in its forward surface, a socket carrying member provided with a concavo-convex portion with the convex surface thereof adjustably positioned in said concavity, and a flexible strip member attached at the ends thereof to said base and provided with an intermediate convex surface nested in and pressingon the concave portion of said socket carrying member for retaining said member in adjusted position.

2. Portable illuminating apparatus comprising a base provided with transversely slotted members at the ends thereof through which a sling is adapted to be threaded for slidably securing the base to the sling, said base having a concavity intermediate the ends thereof, a lamp socket, a socket supporting member provided with a concavo-convex portion seated in the concavity of said base, and a flexible strip secured to the base and having a convex portion seated in the concave portion of said socket supporting member and exerting spring tension on the latter whereby the latter is frictionally supportedfor universal adjustment between vsaid :supporting member and said base.

3.v Portable illuminating apparatus comprisinga base of strip material provided with'an intermediate concavity, a lamp socket supporting member of U-shape, the intermediate portion of which is concavo-convex, and a flexible strip attached atthe ends to said base and of a width less than the spacing of the arms of the U-shaped member and provided with an intermediate convex portion adapted to seat in the concave portion of the U-shaped'memberV and to press the convex portion thereof into frictional contact with the concavity of said base for securing said U-shaped member between said base and said flexible strip for universaladjustment. y

` CHARLESVVANCE DAME. 

